Shards
by Bedelia
Summary: A collection of one-shots and 100-word drabbles written for The Twilight 25 challenge. Various pairings and characters, all AU.
1. What Remains

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 22: Ignorance is bliss.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Bella  
__Rating: T_

* * *

What remains of the man falls from her arms. The blood smeared across her lips turns sour, but still, she wants more. The fire in her throat speaks not in screams, as she did when she burned into this new form, but in seductive whispers. It purrs and caresses, coaxing her to kill again.

Edward will understand. Rosalie will sneer and Carlisle will sigh, but years ago, Edward lived like this.

What remains of her conscience digs its spurs into her heart, finding the spot that still stings.

This life seemed so much easier when it was just an idea.


	2. Smile

___The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com_  
_Prompt: 01: Blood is thicker than water.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Leah  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

Smile.

Cameras will capture your expression for posterity. Don't let them see you stumble. No tears — not even one. Don't you _dare_.

You can do this. You don't care; you're above all of it. You're over him.

For family, you can pretend for a day. You can be the perfect bridesmaid.

Breathe. Call the florist. Help Emily with her hair. Fetch this and that. Don't look away or frown during the kiss. Think before you speak; don't ruin the wedding with your big mouth. Keep Claire occupied. Tell Emily she looks beautiful.

Lie.

Keep smiling. Just a few more hours.

* * *

_**A/N:** Forgot to mention before: one of the rules for this round of The Twilight 25 is that the drabbles/one-shots can't be a continuous story. So if you were hoping to see the continuation of Bella's story from the first chapter, sorry! That's it. Also, the drabbles must be 100 words, exactly. No more, no less.  
_

_Most of my entries will be drabbles, but I do have a few longer one-shots planned as well. I'll be updating as I write them. There will be 25 in all, and I have until January 31, 2013 to complete the challenge.  
_

_Thanks for reading! :)_


	3. Bite Me

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 12: Once bitten, twice shy.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Edward  
__Rating: T_

* * *

"Bella—"

"Don't. I'm fine. I'm ready."

"You keep flinching."

"I'll stop. Really. Go for it."

Sighing, Edward lowered his mouth to her neck. As soon as he got close enough to taste her skin, Bella made a pitiful squeak.

"Are you certain you want this?" he asked, feathering a kiss over her pulse.

"Of course."

"Then why do you—"

"It really _hurt_ last time!" Scowling, she waved her scarred wrist in his face.

Edward laughed. "Becoming a vampire doesn't intimidate you, but you're afraid of—"

"The bite. Yes." She balled her hands into fists. "Okay. Go."

He did.

She flinched.


	4. The New Girl

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 07: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Tyler, Mike, Rosalie  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

Tilting back in his chair, Tyler scraped the last few streaks of chocolate from his pudding cup.

"I wouldn't," he said. "I think she's with the big guy."

Mike scowled. "He's her foster brother. I'm going for it."

"Fine. Your funeral."

Wiping his hands on his jeans, Mike marched to the table no other student had dared approach: the one occupied by the new kids. He introduced himself, voice cracking, and directed his smile at the pretty blond girl.

A glare answered him: cold enough to halt the conversations that slithered from table to table.

"Um," Mike said. "Never mind."


	5. Gravity

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 02: 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Sam/Leah  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

The wolf forces a smile onto his face and adoration into his thoughts: an Alpha order for the Alpha. It won't let him tell his brothers about the strangle and the shove — about the horror of imprinting.

The beast binds him, but when he walks on two legs, he can remember what it was like to _choose_ — what it was like to love her. He lives for those moments, those tiny gasps of bliss.

When her wolf finds its mate, she finally understands. He wishes she didn't.

Her fingers brush his; the wolves allow nothing more.

Tiny gasps of bliss.


	6. The Secretary

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 04: Do as I say, not as I do  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Gianna  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

Marisa wiggled her pruney toes through the blanket of bubbles. Her skin squeaked against the porcelain of the tub, contrasting with the low hum of her sister's voice.

"What if they're real?" Marisa asked.

"Tilt your head back," her sister said, pouring a cup of clear water over Marisa's hair. "What if who are real?"

"The Volturi."

"Hmm. Then you should stay away from them. If vampires exist, I bet they can't be trusted."

Marisa frowned. "Do you think so?"

"I do." With a tickle of Marisa's belly, her sister added, "No seeking out any vampires. Promise?"

"I promise, Gianna."


	7. Sire

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 18: Patience is a virtue.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Bella, Jasper  
__Rating: T_

* * *

"I want Jasper to do it."

Six pairs of golden eyes turned toward Bella. Jasper rested his hands on her shoulders, his voice softer and closer than it'd ever been.

"I won't help you kill yourself."

A trapped sob rattled in Bella's throat. "Carlisle, then."

Feeble threads of a plan began to weave themselves together. As soon as possible, she would cross the ocean and join the ones who had demanded her change — the ones who had killed Edward.

Deep in the castle, she would wait for centuries, if she had to. She had time.

Someday, she would have revenge.


	8. Brother

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 19: Out of sight, out of mind.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Rosalie, Edward  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

Rosalie stood next to the draining bath, willing the rumpled wedding dress in the next room to vanish.

Royce was gone. Punished. Her thoughts were supposed to be her own again, with no ghosts.

Hinges squeaked: her bedroom door. A silky rustle and threads of a familiar scent led outside.

By the time she caught up, Edward had lit the fire. Flames licked at lace sleeves, turned embroidery to ash.

Slowly, she took his hand. He said nothing, only squeezing back when she tightened her grip. It was the first time they'd ever touched.

Together, they watched the dress burn.


	9. Dear Diary

_The Twilight Twenty-Five_  
_thetwilight25 - dot - com_  
_Prompt: 21: Two's company, three's a crowd._  
_Pen Name: Bedelia_  
_Pairing/Character(s): Laurent, James/Victoria_  
_Rating: T_

* * *

Dear Diary,

Have joined a new coven. James and Victoria are a mated pair (I think). Seems promising.

* * *

Dear Diary,

Day 143 of coven life. Victoria's pet names for James are starting to grate. We are _vampires_. The words "fluffy wuffikins" should never pass our lips. Feel sullied having written it. James appears unaffected.

* * *

Dear Diary,

Day 2682. Earlier today, Victoria spent five hours babbling about James. Now know the true meaning of eternity.

* * *

Dear Diary,

Day 4378. Oh, wonderful. Loud sex after a hunt. Something new and different.

* * *

Dear Diary,

Day 5539. Enough. Moving to Alaska to drink animals.


	10. Without You

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: __24: The darkest hour is just before dawn.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Renesmee, Edward/Bella  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

Without you, everyone watches me. Hearts shift between mourning and concern as fast as I can run.

As fast as I _could_ run. I've become a statue, frozen in search of my wife.

Rosalie apologizes. I don't blame her.

I try not to blame our daughter.

I named her Renesmee, as you requested. A big name for such a solemn little thing. Three weeks old, she climbs onto my lap and shows me a vision of her teeth sinking into Jacob's arm. Against my will, I smile.

So does she. Her _first_ smile. Suddenly, I understand.

I love her, too.


	11. Lovelier than the Stars

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 03: Good things come to those who wait.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Tanya/Jessica  
__Rating: T_

_**A/N: **__This will quite possibly be the only one-shot I write for this challenge. As I go on, it's looking like most of the prompts will end up as drabbles. No clue where I got the idea for this pairing, but it's been stuck in my head for a very long time. It had to come out eventually! The title is a line from _Midnight Sun.

* * *

The boy was uninspiring: completely ordinary. Blue eyes, spiky blond hair, straight teeth, ill-fitting suit. Dull. Not worth the effort of batting my eyelashes or flashing a smile. I knew his type. If we tumbled into bed together, he would finish before I began. In my non-vegetarian days, I wouldn't have bothered to drink him if he'd opened an artery and bled out on the ground right in front of me.

And yet, I couldn't stop staring at him. Time and again, something drew my gaze back to his hand—to the long, slender fingers that were laced together with his. The girl at his side gathered up her brown curls, holding them off of her neck as she muttered about the heat. A breeze ruffled her dress and sent her delicate scent billowing around me: cinnamon and roses to the boy's parsley and cut grass.

How had this bland oaf earned the right to hold her hand? He didn't so much as glance at her. Instead, he watched the bride with the same rapt expression I'd seen on thousands of men.

Idiot.

The receiving line shuffled forward. The girl embraced Edward, then Bella, holding onto the former a little longer than was appropriate.

Ah. I knew that particular ache all too well. After almost a hundred years as a vampire, Edward must've amassed an ocean's worth of disappointed would-be lovers. If not for Bella setting his world on fire, he might have one day been responsible for as many broken hearts as Kate or Irina. Or me, for that matter.

Tilting my head, I examined the girl who tagged along after the foolish human boy. I imagined her curves growing hard and pale, her bright eyes shifting to newborn-red. Had Edward not chosen another, he and the girl would have been stunning together. Immortality would suit her.

What a pity she'd settled for the child who couldn't stop staring at Bella's breasts.

A second shuffle, and it was my turn to greet the happy couple. Edward chuckled as I enveloped him in a close embrace. It had been too long.

"There's nothing serious between them," he said, too low for his bride's weak ears. "They aren't dating, as such. It's more like a final fling before they leave for college and go their separate ways."

"I'm sure that's none of my business," I said. "I was simply people watching."

"Mm. Of course. I imagined that was the case. I do have to say that I agree with your assessment of him. Mike Newton is an idiot of the highest degree."

Mike Newton. Now I knew his name, but I hardly cared about that.

"It's Jessica." Another chuckle. "Her name is Jessica Stanley."

If I'd had any doubt about the strength of Edward's affection for his new wife, that would've washed it away. He was hopelessly, madly in love. Viewing the world with besotted eyes, he saw potential couples in every cousin and friend, every acquaintance and stranger. His cup overflowed with joy; he wanted others to share in the happiness.

And the man thought _Alice_ meddled.

"I don't recall asking," I said, taking care to keep the ice out of my voice. However misguided he was, the dear boy meant well.

"I thought you seemed curious. My mistake."

With that, he pulled back as if I'd been clinging and held me at arm's length. For Bella's benefit, I assumed. The poor girl shook when Edward introduced her as his wife. I watched her carefully, wondering if she would pass out. Certainly, she knew of my affection for her husband, but what reason had she to be nervous? She had won him without any effort. Trying to reassure and befriend her, I took her hand in mine and made the expected comments about wishing to become better acquainted.

I really did want to know her, in a way. A little bit.

After leaving the happy couple to mingle with their other guests, I strolled around with Kate and indulged in more people watching. If I watched some people more than others, no one seemed to notice—except, perhaps, a certain girl who watched me in return. And Edward and Alice, but they noticed everything.

"I should let one of them dance with me," Kate said, smirking at a cluster of human boys. "Every time his gaze drifts too far south, I'll give him a tiny shock. Aversion therapy."

I patted her arm. "You need to find some healthier hobbies, dear."

At Rosalie and Emmett's thirtieth wedding, I'd managed to convince them to omit the bouquet toss. It was, as I'd pointed out, somewhat ridiculous when the only single women present were all over a thousand years old. Single or no, after someone's four or five hundredth birthday has passed, she should be exempt from such things.

I had no such luck at Bella and Edward's wedding. As if she'd forgotten my previous objections, Alice came to herd me toward the small group of single girls.

I stood between Jessica and Kate. None of us dived for the flowers. We stood by while the bouquet landed in the arms of a pretty human girl with glasses and a kind smile. When the garter hit Mike Newton square in the face, Jessica giggled.

"He'll probably sleep with that thing under his pillow, since it touched Bella's thigh," she said to no one in particular.

I laughed. The noise sent a grin dawning across Jessica's face, like it was a song only she could hear.

"I'm not _with_ him, by the way," she said. "I'm so over that."

"Probably for the best if he's keeping married women's lingerie under his pillow," I said.

"Right?" While she spoke, she played with her hair. The curls started to frizz, she touched them so much, but they still looked so soft. "I think I can do better."

The bouquet girl pulled Jessica aside to chatter about their plans for the future, as if they were attending a graduation instead of a wedding, and that was it. The grand total of our interaction that first day amounted to a joke at Mike Newton's expense.

I went back to Alaska and performed my annual ritual of waiting for the days to get shorter. The strangest feeling rose within me as darkness crept in: almost an ache, building and cresting like the rising tide.

For the first time in a long while, I missed the sun.

-oOo-

After Edward called us to Forks to act as witnesses, I expected my long life to come to a crashing, fiery end. Edward anticipated the same. All of us did, I suppose. One night, late in the year, he approached me in the forest.

"Jessica is home from college for the holidays," he whispered. With a soft squeeze of my shoulder, he attempted a smile. "You should go see her while you still have the chance."

"Do you know something I do not?"

This earned me a genuine smile. "I know many things, old friend."

"_Old_? Impolite to bring up a lady's age, Edward."

"Ah, my apologies." Tapping his temple, he quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not in the habit of revealing the secrets of others, but in light of this possibly being one of our last nights on earth, I'm granting myself a very brief vacation from my conscience. She was far more taken with you than she ever was with me or anyone else I've seen in her thoughts."

"Hmph. I thought you were going to tell me a secret."

"Go," he said. "Be happy, if only for tonight."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Certainly not. I'm only trying to give you a little push in the right direction."

Wrinkling my nose, I smoothed my hands over my hunt-rumpled clothing. It was a far cry from what I'd worn at the wedding, but no matter.

"You're beautiful," Edward said, as if there was ever any doubt. "Are you ready?"

"No. Push me."

His only response was that old, infuriating half-grin that I once thought I wanted. Still, I went. I skated over icy sidewalks to a little gray house that smelled of cinnamon and roses.

Jessica's light was on. She paced back and forth in front of the window, chattering to a friend on the phone about the dullness of Forks. After the towering noise of the big city, everything looked smaller to her. My hand acted without my permission, grabbing a pebble and tossing it at the frosted glass. A moment later, Jessica leaned out, squinting in the dark.

"Tanya?" she asked, her lips curving into a smile. Her friend's voice blared from the phone, but she paid it no mind.

She knew my name.

"Hello," I said. I hadn't thought this part through. "I was just passing by, and I saw... um... "

"I'll be right out."

Reflected street lights winked at me as the window slammed shut. The friend received a rushed goodbye, and then Jessica was there in front of me, bundled up in a puffy coat. At some point during the two minutes between the window conversation and the opening of the front door, she'd managed to apply mascara.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Great. College is amazing. It's weird being home. Are you visiting the Cullens? Of course, you must be. Why else would anyone come to Forks?"

I grinned. "I have no idea."

By some unspoken agreement, we strolled away from the house together, taking off down the middle of the darkened street. Like all humans, she walked in a slow, plodding way that made me wonder how she managed to stay upright. A few times, when we hit crackled patches of ice, she grabbed my elbow to steady herself. I didn't mind.

A few streets away, a whiff of faded parsley and cut grass hit me, overshadowed by the sting of chlorine. Michael Newton's house. His parents had… not a pool. Not in this rain-soaked town. I sniffed again. This was a warm scent, burrowed into a home of stained cedar.

Even though I hardly knew Jessica, I wanted to close the space between us. The touches of my arm weren't enough—could never have been enough. Getting closer in the cold would be a problem, but if there was a hot tub…

"What are you doing?" Jessica asked, squeaking when I left the pavement behind to trample across frosted grass. "This is my ex's house."

"And? Is he home?"

"I don't think so. I mean, his car's gone, but it's not like the neighbors won't recognize me if they see us snooping around out here."

"Oh, come on." I took her hand, thankful for the gloves I'd put on. "You're in college, right? Live a little. Now is the perfect time to do things like this."

Weak as my argument was, she followed me to the back of the house. The hot tub sat up on a deck: a wood and plastic shrine to the 1980s. After removing the cover, I switched on the lights and bubbles.

Before I could dare Jessica to get in, her puffy coat fell to the deck, followed by her boots, socks, and jeans. A pink sweater draped over the whole pile like a fishing net. Soft, soft skin called me forward, singing to me like her heartbeat. Two opposing thirsts fought for dominance.

With a shivering giggle, she climbed into the water. Her curls bobbed on the surface, half-wet and frizzy. Sweeping her fingers through the bubbles, she looked up at me.

"I really hope Mike doesn't come home anytime soon," she said. "Pretty sure finding us out here would be like a wet dream for him."

I unbuttoned my shirt. If he did arrive while we were there, he wouldn't see her. I would make sure of that.

Jessica watched as I stripped down to my bra and underwear, her lips parting and her pulse quickening.

"Okay," she said, "I think this just became _my_ wet dream."

Once I sat next to Jessica, the temperature of my body climbed. Wrapped in heat, I became like her; my breath curled into tiny wisps of steam. I didn't understand it, this pull, this empty sort of longing. I wanted, more than I'd ever wanted blood, to kiss Jessica. And even more than that, I ached to make her like me.

Was this what everyone had been making such a fuss about all this time when they talked about the instant connection between mates? How extraordinary. No wonder Alice was always so perky. I wanted to bottle this feeling, this spark of possibility, and keep it in my pocket to take out on rainy days. A little bit of sun to make me shine.

Moving at human speed, it took me a few seconds to reach her—or a thousand years, if one took a different view.

Either way, it was worth the wait. When my lips brushed hers, Jessica trembled, but not with fear. It wasn't the quiver of prey in the arms of the predator, as I was accustomed to feeling. Her legs hooked around mine and pulled us closer before she tilted her head back and allowed me to trail kisses down her neck, trusting me without question.

I wondered if this was how that mate connection grew: with warmth and starlight and trust. Against my will, I thought of Edward—of a night not many months past. In a moonlit expanse of snow, he once told me I was lovelier than the stars. Now, more than ever, I felt it.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Jessica said, touching her fingertips to her mouth. "I've never… I mean… Wow. I so didn't expect my evening to turn out like this. And in Mike's hot tub. Ha."

"Do you want to stop?"

"Hell no. Maybe relocate, but not stop. How long are you in town? Will I see you again after tonight?"

I'd heard her final question thousands of times. Prior to Jessica, I'd always given my lovers an evasive answer and left them wanting more. Smiling down at her, I let myself forget about the possible death that waited for me with red eyes.

"Yes."


	12. Walking into the Parlor

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 23: __The road to hell is paved with good intentions.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Bella, Jasper  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

I was only trying to help.

Everyone told me to stay away from Jasper, to keep myself far from his sharp teeth and uncontrollable thirst.

All I did was touch his hand. Even though we'd never spoken, I thought he could use a friend. He looked so upset when I found him in the library.

He didn't kill me. He could have; we were alone. While my world tilted on its axis, he just smiled. Not a spider's smile. His was closer to a fly caught in the web with me.

I still don't understand.

We were the same temperature.


	13. Arm Wrestling Champion of the Northwest

_The Twilight Twenty-Five_  
_thetwilight25 - dot - com_  
_Prompt: 25: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again._  
_Pen Name: Bedelia_  
_Pairing/Character(s): Emmett, Bella_  
_Rating: K+_

* * *

"Bella," Emmett said. One huge hand eclipsed hers as she turned the page of her magazine. "Please?"

"Haven't you had enough?"

A bicep appeared in front of her face, flexing so it almost popped her in the nose.

"I have a new strategy," he said.

"Then save it for two years. I've beaten you seventy times already."

"It won't count then! You won't be a newborn."

"Who says it won't count?"

"Official vampire arm wrestling rules. _Obviously_."

"Mm."

Emmett pouted.

"Ugh," she said. "Fine. If it'll shut you up, let's go."

It did. For five minutes.

"Okay, _new_ new strategy…"


	14. Burn the Witch

_The Twilight Twenty-Five_  
_thetwilight25 - dot - com_  
_Prompt: 15: Fight fire with fire._  
_Pen Name: Bedelia_  
_Pairing/Character(s): Jane_  
_Rating: T_

* * *

Superstition made blood taste of honey, Jane decided. Plain fear made it sharper, like tart berries. Then again, perhaps the blood was sweetened by her revenge against those who'd cried _witch_ and tried to kill her.

It would require further study. She still had a cellar full of people who had been overly fond of their torches and pitchforks. They'd do.

Blood sloshing in her belly, she surveyed the remains of her birthplace. In the center of the village, Alec had tied several weeping humans to stakes. Clever boy.

Jane cackled as she lit the fire.

Let the witches burn.


	15. Summer Hobbies

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 11: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Rosalie/Emmett  
__Rating: T_

* * *

Sunlight kissed Rosalie's skin through the window, pinning her to their property and holding her prisoner.

She stuck her tongue out at the sparkle.

Behind her, Emmett chuckled. The only other sound in the house—the _click clack click _of Edward's typing—cut off.

"_Really_, Emmett?" Edward said, sighing.

"Hey, it was just a thought."

"What was?" Rosalie asked.

"Well, we haven't broken the new bed yet." Emmett's grin wiped away the inconsiderate sun. "Just because we're stuck at home, it doesn't mean we can't have fun. Wanna see if we can send Edward running to the woods?"

She did.


	16. Clawing the Ivories

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 09: Practice makes perfect  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle, Edward  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

Rubbing his temples, Carlisle wondered if stuffing cotton in his ears would impair his hearing. His head couldn't ache, but it was putting forth a valiant effort.

The noises blaring from the parlor made him suspect Edward was dragging a cat across the piano.

With a thud, it stopped.

_Ah_. Blessed relief.

"I apologize for bothering you," Edward said.

"No, no. Please, carry on."

"Are you certain?"

Not at all.

"Yes," Carlisle said. "You won't get better if you don't practice."

Again, the cat clawed at the ivory keys.

Cringing, Carlisle renewed his search for cotton.

Vampires learned quickly, right?


	17. Shatter

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 14: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Edward, Rosalie  
__Rating: T_

* * *

"Have you told Bella about me?"

Edward froze. Before he could choke out a reply, shadows danced across Rosalie's thoughts, acting out a story he wanted to forget.

A husband turned cruel. A wife longed for a child with someone kind. After drinking human blood, a vampire grew curious about other types of indulgence. The shadows thrashed out a breathless, blood-soaked run to Carlisle, then dissolved.

He'd been too new to touch her—too unkind.

And now, she could ruin _everything_.

"She should know the truth," Rosalie said.

"Are you going to tell her?"

She smirked. "Wait and see."


	18. In the Jaws of an Angel

_The Twilight Twenty-Five_  
_thetwilight25 - dot - com_  
_Prompt: 10: Curiosity killed the cat._  
_Pen Name: Bedelia_  
_Pairing/Character(s): Pire_  
_Rating: K+_

* * *

Light cast a wavering reflection on a puddle, too glittering and beautiful to be the harsh sun. Too perfect to be of this earth.

She turned, seeking to get closer to the soft glow—to let it wrap around her. A shimmer vanished into the trees.

Abandoning her plans, she ran after the light. She had to.

In the shadows, she found him—no longer shining, but no less breathtaking.

The man—the _creature_—extended a hand. She took it, desperate to know how his skin felt, what he was.

"Hello," he said, trapping her with his smile. "I'm Joham."


	19. The Last Step

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 16: Mind over matter.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Carlisle  
__Rating: T_

* * *

_One more step. _

Gasping for air, Carlisle forced his legs to shuffle forward. His cloak billowed out like a sail, threatening to float his wrecked body back to his father.

_No_. He could push through this. It was just a chain of one step after another. It could be beaten.

_One more step._

Another shuffle. Another. Falling to his knees, choking on his screams, he dragged himself along cobblestones stained with his blood

Salvation appeared in the form of a broken cellar door. Finally, his mantra was true. There was only one more step.

Holding his breath, he took it.


	20. Yolo?

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 08. Youth is wasted on the young.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Jasper, Rosalie  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

"I don't understand kids these days," Jasper said.

Without glancing up from her book, Rosalie nodded. "Unsurprising, old man."

"I'll show you ol—there!" Leaning forward, he waved at the television as if trying to banish the objectionable view. "Look."

"I'd rather not."

"Why wear tight jeans with the waistband around one's knees?"

"No idea." She patted his shoulder. "I don't understand them, either. I still wonder why they're obsessed with a tiny place in California."

"Maybe that's where those hideous pants are produced."

Rosalie couldn't tell if he was joking. With a laugh, she left him to his grumbling.


	21. Obituary

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 17: __To err is human; to forgive, divine.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Jasper/Alice  
__Rating: T_

* * *

A husband. Four siblings. Three sons. Her youngest was a newborn—barely a month old. Even when appearing in impersonal newsprint, the surviving relatives screamed accusations.

Jasper's red eyes slid shut. He'd already known about the baby. Aside from the obvious scent of milk, she'd tasted sweeter, like she'd absorbed the freshness of youth from her child.

New mothers had once been a favorite of his.

_Feel the guilt, _he reminded himself. _Don't see them as "other." _

When his eyes opened, Alice was there, all sun-bright emotions and smiles and the right words.

"They'll be okay. I love you."


	22. Teacher's Pet

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 05. No pain, no gain  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Jane, Alec  
__Rating: T_

* * *

Alec writhed on the floor, his red eyes rolling back in his head. As Jane stood over him, every hard muscle in her body strained. The feeling took her back to a vague, venom-clouded memory of running until her legs and lungs burned.

Her concentration snapped. Alec rolled over, gasping and groaning.

"No more," he said.

"Aro says I must practice."

"But sister—"

"Just once more, please." Frowning, Jane thought of Aro's effusive praise of her brother's progress. "We want to be able to protect ourselves, don't we?"

"Yes, of course."

"Very well, then. Are you ready?"

Alec screamed.


	23. The First of Many

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 20: The bigger they are, the harder they fall.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Emmett/Rosalie  
__Rating: K+_

* * *

With her hair full of leaves and her arms full of an enraged, injured bear, Rosalie bounded toward the house. Laughing, Emmett ran out to meet her.

Her scent was clouded with far away things—with a different forest. She smelled like home.

"It took time, but I found the right one," she said. "I thought you might like to avenge your own death."

Just like that, he _knew_. They'd only been acquainted for a week, but logic couldn't break his fall. They fit.

"Marry me."

As both of their open mouths climbed into smiles, she dropped the bear.

"Yes."


	24. Bound

_The Twilight Twenty-Five_  
_thetwilight25 - dot - com_  
_Prompt: 13. The grass is always greener on the other side._  
_Pen Name: Bedelia_  
_Pairing/Character(s): Quil_  
_Rating: T_

* * *

I think it'd be kinda cool to imprint.

I mean, okay, yeah, Emily didn't accept Sam at first, but now that she has, he's disgustingly happy. Watching them together makes me feel like a voyeur.

Sucks to be Leah.

I'm thinking about this because today I'm stuck with them—the imprinted. And, of course, they're being all couple-y. Lucky bastards.

Just as I'm about to leave—because _screw this_—the doorbell rings. A woman with a toddler—a goddamn _toddler_—enters, and my vision narrows.

My entire world is wrapped up in someone who wears diapers.

Shit. _Not _cool.


	25. Charmion

_The Twilight Twenty-Five  
__thetwilight25 - dot - com  
__Prompt: 06: Don't bite the hand that feeds you.  
__Pen Name: Bedelia  
__Pairing/Character(s): Aro, Chelsea  
__Rating: T_

* * *

Aro was not accustomed to asking questions. He stole answers with a touch. Even with Sulpicia, Jane, and Alec reduced to smoldering piles of ash, he would not whimper out a "_Why?_"

Chelsea crept closer, shadowed by Renata.

"Did you expect me to believe Afton's death was an accident?" Chelsea asked. "I helped you with the aftermath of Didyme's murder.

"Every member of the guard, save them—" she kicked the ashes, "—only cared for you because _I_ willed it to be so. Now, the Volturi will bow to me." Moving closer still, she struck a match. "Long live the Queen."

* * *

_**A/N:** Aaaand finished. :) This is the last one. Thanks for reading!_


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